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6-11-10--Kansas Growers Participate in Corn Utilization Conference

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7-15-10--Kansas Corn Growers Present “Ear of Agriculture” To Congressman Moran
Grower leaders of the Kansas Corn Growers Association presented the first-ever Kansas Corn “Ear of Agriculture” award to Congressman Jerry Moran today. The group is in Washington, DC for the National Corn Growers Association Corn Congress. Corn Congress is the delegate session of NCGA where grower members determine the association’s policies.

According to KCGA President Bob Timmons of Fredonia, this is the first “Ear of Agriculture” award to be given. The award was created to recognize a leader who has worked to advance issues important to agriculture and corn growers in particular.

“Kansas is among the top ten corn producing states in the nation and its corn growers significantly contribute to the economic strength of our state,” Moran said. “During my time in Congress, I have worked hard to open new foreign markets and maintain domestic markets for Kansas corn farmers. I am honored to receive the first Ear of Agriculture award.”

Congressman Moran was chosen to receive the award by the Board of Directors of the Kansas Corn Growers Association.

“Congressman Moran has a long and consistent record of supporting agriculture. He is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee. Most recently, he has taken a leadership role in two bills that are important to corn farmers: the Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Act and the Cuba trade bill,” Timmons said.

Several KCGA leaders were in Washington DC to participate in Corn Congress and to present the award. The group included Ken McCauley, White Cloud, KS; Brian Baalman, Menlo, KS; Charles Foltz, Garnett, KS; Mary McCauley, White Cloud, KS; Kansas Corn Executive Director Jere White, Communications Specialist DeEtta Bohling and intern Kiley Stinson.

In addition to participating in Corn Congress, the group also visited members of the Kansas congressional delegation. The Kansas Corn Growers Association represents its corn grower members in areas of legislation and regulation.

7-7-10--Loss of Atrazine Would Wipe Out 21,000 to 48,000 Jobs Dependant on Agriculture
University of Chicago economist says even more losses would come when sorghum, sugar cane and other crops are considered

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 7, 2010) – Banning the agricultural herbicide atrazine would cost between 21,000 and 48,000 jobs from corn production losses alone, according to University of Chicago economist Don L. Coursey, Ph.D.

Dr. Coursey announced his findings at a briefing sponsored by the Triazine Network today at the National Press Club in Washington.

Coursey estimates atrazine’s annual production value to corn alone to be between $2.3 billion and $5 billion. Atrazine’s additional value to sorghum, sugar cane and other uses increases these totals.

“The economic data on atrazine are very clear. As a first-order estimate, banning atrazine will erase between 21,000 and 48,000 jobs related to or dependant on corn production, with additional job losses coming from both sugar cane and sorghum production losses,” Coursey said. “The range is wide because we have never before banned a product on which so many depend and for which suitable replacements have a wide variety of prices and application regimes.”

“If all of that job loss were concentrated in the agricultural sector, its unemployment would grow by as much as 2.6 percent. Replacement costs for corn farmers could reach as high as $58 per acre,” Coursey said.

Atrazine has been a mainstay of corn, sorghum and sugar cane production for 50 years. The second most-used herbicide in the U.S., it controls a broad range of yield-robbing weeds, is safe for the crop and supports a variety of farming systems, including soil-saving conservation-till agriculture.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) re-registered atrazine in 2006 based on the evidence of nearly 6,000 studies and more than 80,000 public comments. It began an additional, unscheduled review of atrazine in late 2009.

“Atrazine is essential to U.S. agriculture. We appreciate Dr. Coursey’s findings and will distribute them to our members, the EPA and to our elected representatives. With unemployment still painfully high across the nation, we can’t afford to lose as many as 50,000 jobs and the corn yield that sustains them,” said Jere White, Triazine Network chairman and executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association.

EPA cited a media report and claims by a longtime anti-atrazine group when it announced the additional, unscheduled review. It was the first time in history EPA did not cite sound science to initiate a review process.

Coursey’s statement can be viewed at http://agsense.org/

6-30-10--Kansas Farmers Plant 7.1 Million Acres to Feedgrains
Kansas farmers planted 4.7 million acres of corn this spring, according to the June acreage report released by Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service (KASS).  Kansas ranks 6th in the nation in planted corn acres following Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota and Indiana. The Kansas corn crop is up 15 percent from last year and is the largest acreage since 1936.

Grain sorghum acreage was estimated at 2.4 million acres. Kansas and Texas lead the nation in planted acres at 2.4 million each and the two states represent 80 percent of the nation’s 6 million planted sorghum acres.

The state’s corn crop is in very good shape, with 71 percent being ranked good to excellent in the June 28 crop progress report issued by KASS. Eleven percent of the crop is silked, ahead of last year’s crop, but behind the five year average of 14 percent. The Kansas sorghum crop is on pace with last year and is 88 percent emerged and is rated 74 good to excellent.

Kansas growers have good overall soil moisture. Statewide, subsoil moisture is 83 percent adequate. Southwest Kansas is the driest section of the state with subsoil moisture rated at 61 percent adequate, 23 percent short and 15 percent very short.

Both corn and sorghum are used as feedstock for livestock, ethanol, exports and other uses. Kansas farmers have planted 7.1 million acres of these feedgrains this year.

6-23-10--New Website Offers News and Information on Atrazine by the Farmers Who Have Safely Used it for Generations
Farmers launch www.AGSense.org to fight false claims and shoddy science against atrazine use

A group of farmers who raise corn, sorghum and other crops throughout the country have launched a new website, www.AGSense.org, to bring some common sense and straight talk to the debate about atrazine.

“Atrazine is important to keeping our food supply plentiful and affordable, and is highly effective with a remarkable track record of success—and safety—that stretches back for decades,” said Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association and chairman of the Triazine Network, the group of farmers behind the new Web site. Atrazine is a triazine herbicide.

“EPA conducted a special review of atrazine in 1994 and gave it full approval in 2006, so activists who are suddenly labeling it with false claims are irresponsible, at best, and misleading, at worst,” White said.

Farmers, ranchers and the people who consume their products can find information on AGSense.org about the various crops atrazine is used for, why exactly it is important for land conservation, its long history of scrutiny and approval by regulators all over the world, and highlights from the latest online content that tells the story of this critical tool – and the campaign against it – from across the Web.

“If AGSense.org helps just one person learn something about atrazine that he or she didn’t know before, if it helps bring just a little bit of common sense to this critical agricultural tool, it will have been worth creating,” said White. “We hope people find it useful as we fight to keep our access to atrazine alive.”

About the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association:
KCGA and KGSPA represent their grower members in regulatory and legislative issues. For more information on KCGA, visit http://www.ksgrains.com

4-28-10--Farmers Speak Out at the EPA: Atrazine is Safe, Effective, and Critical to Our Bottom Line
WASHINGTON (April 28, 2010) -- Farm groups traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to voice support for atrazine before the third in a series of hearings being held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to re-review the critically-effective herbicide.

Among those testifying were Jere White, Chairman of the Triazine Network and director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association; Laura Knoth, the executive director of the Kentucky Corn Growers Association; and Richard Fawcett, of Fawcett Consulting, who shared his expertise in weed science and critical yield gains atrazine provides farmers.

Noting that atrazine has been more extensively studied than any other crop protection product and has continually been awarded a clean bill of health, Jere White commented that growers often ask him, “When is enough enough?”

It was only in 2006, after all, after an extensive 12-year review, that EPA concluded that the triazine herbicides, including atrazine, pose “no harm” to the general population, including women and infants. It wasn’t until “the New York Times and Huffington Post supplied their version of ‘peer review’ of an NRDC report to certain political appointees at EPA,” said White, that EPA hastily convened this un-necessary re-review.

White questioned whether this extraordinary break with standard EPA procedures violates FIFRA standards, and highlighted the enormous burden of material the independent scientists have been asked to digest in a relatively short period of time due to the compressed schedule. As White noted, “…though the average number of studies submitted for SAP review per session number around 15, EPA has generously provided you with 123.”

Given that scientific bodies around the world have determined that atrazine is safe to use, and extensive monitoring shows that levels in raw and finished water are steadily declining, White questioned the need for this EPA’s “politically driven second guessing.” He ended by expressing the hope that the high standards of scientific objectivity that enabled the EPA to register atrazine as safe in the past would continue to prevail at the agency.

Laura Knoth outlined the profoundly beneficial effects of atrazine to the environment, especially as a result of no-till and low-till agriculture. By 2008, Knoth noted, “atrazine was applied to 60 percent of conservation tillage and no-till corn acres.” Without such effective weed control, the result would be a massive increase in erosion, “estimated to be more than 300 billion pounds annually.” Sediment has been identified by both the USDA and by individual states as the leading source of water pollution in our nation today.
Atrazine-enabled no-till agriculture also reduces the use (and expense) of fossil fuels to power tractors for field cultivation and keeps crucial nutrients in the soil.

On top of the extraordinary environmental benefits, Richard Fawcett emphasized the critical importance of atrazine to farmers’ bottom line. Analysis of data from two different decades starting in the 80s and in the 90s, showed a very similar – and impressive – boost in yields in both eras. Average yield gains with atrazine from 1986 to 2005 in university field trials were 5.7 bushels per acre compared to alternative herbicides.

EPA itself has estimated that farming without atrazine would cost corn growers $28 an acre in reduced yields and higher costs for less effective substitutes.

The voice of the farm community was clear: atrazine is safe, it’s effective, it’s essential to the environment, and it’s critical to our bottom line. Sound science, sound economics, and sound environmental stewardship would all tell the EPA one thing – leave atrazine alone, so American farmers can get on with the business of feeding the world.

Atrazine Brings Environmental Benefits to Kansas Corn Farms
Many farmers spent Earth Day in the fields planting corn. Kansas Corn Commissioner Ken McCauley, White Cloud, said his family has made good progress planting corn this spring. McCauley uses no-till farming methods on his family farm. Atrazine makes those environmentally friendly methods possible.

“Without atrazine, our ability to use no-till methods would be severely hampered,” McCauley said. “Atrazine has played a big role in our success with no-till farming because it works so well in with other crop protection tools.”

McCauley explained that small amounts of atrazine help to make his crop protection tools more effective, and that allows him to apply less herbicides overall. He said atrazine is also important because it has a different “mode of action” that helps keeps weeds from becoming resistant to herbicides. Without effective weed control, no-till farmers would have to resort to cultivation and other tillage practices.

According to the Conservation Tillage Information Center, atrazine was applied to more than 60 percent of conservation tillage and no-till corn acres in 2008. No-till farming practices reduce soil erosion by up to 90 percent.

Atrazine-enabled no-till agriculture provides major environmental benefits:

· Preventing soil erosion: No-till agriculture dramatically lessens the loss of soil and its nutrients, and prevents the kind of soil run-off that clogs streams and waterways.

· Preventing erosion protects aquatic ecosystems and preserves water quality.

· No-till agriculture reduces soil erosion by as much as 90 percent when compared to intensive tillage .

· United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ranks sediment runoff as the number one pollutant in our nation’s waterways.

· Conserving water: Because crop residue from previous harvests (stalks, husks, etc.) is left on the ground, and the soil is not plowed up, evaporation is limited and more water stays in the soil.

· Cutting fuel costs to famers: Less plowing means lower production costs and reduced emissions because of fewer equipment trips across the field.

· Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions: the constant plowing up of agricultural land required by old-style agriculture to control weeds results in the massive release of CO2 into the atmosphere from decomposing organic matter in the soil. No-till keeps that CO2 trapped in the ground. Switching to no-till promotes the storage of about 600 pounds of carbon in an acre of soil each year, according to research done at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

· Because of its vital role in weed control and popularity in more than 60 countries around the world, atrazine has been carefully studied for years. World-renowned institutions including the World Health Organization, the National Cancer Institute and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all have studied atrazine and found no health concerns when used as directed.

The Kansas Corn Growers Association represents growers in regulatory and legislative issues. For more information on KCGA, visit www.ksgrains.com.

Kansas Corn and Sorghum Partake in Earth Day Festivities
In celebration of Earth Day, over 2,000 students from across the state will receive educational materials from the Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association (KGSPA).

Earth Day, celebrated April 22, is an excellent time to salute farmers. “Corn and sorghum growers are full-time environmentalists. They celebrate Earth Day everyday because they are dependent on water and soil, which is vital to their livelihood,” said KCGA and KGSPA’s communication specialist, DeEtta Bohling.

KCGA and KGSPA corresponded with several organizations across Kansas, requesting presentations and materials for area Earth Day celebrations for school-aged children.

Presentations by KCGA and KGSPA will take place in conjunction with Neosho County Farm Bureau on April 22 and with Riley County Farm Bureau on April 28.

“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to stress the importance of agriculture and Earth Day to America’s future with the cooperation and support of schools, parents, Ag in the Classroom, and the farm bureaus,” said Bohling.

The KCGA and KGSPA are happy to provide materials for educational purposes. Teacher’s materials and additional information on Kansas corn and sorghum can be found at www.ksgrains.com.

4-9-10--Kansas Corn Farmers Remember Dust Bowl Lessons As State Commemorates Black Sunday
The Kansas Senate recently passed a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of Black Sunday, the date of the historic dust-bowl era dust storm. Kansas corn producers remember the lessons learned in the 1930s and improved conservation and farming practices ward off the chance of another Black Sunday. Kansas Corn Growers Association Communications Director Sue Schulte said many Kansans have heard Dust Bowl stories.

“Growing up in southwest Kansas, I remember hearing many Dust Bowl stories. My best friend’s mother told us the story of her birthday party in the back yard. Her birthday cake with pretty white frosting was on a table. When the dust storm blew up, they ran into the house without the cake. When the storm subsided, she retrieved her cake from the back yard, black with dust.”

While dust storms are still an occasional occurrence in Kansas, soil conservation measures and improved cropping and farming practices ensure that Kansas won’t return to the Dust Bowl days.

“Like the Dust Bowl stories that are passed down through generations of Kansas families, Kansas farmers also remember the lessons learned in the 1930s,” Schulte said.

Kansas crop production was much different in 1935. In 1935, Kansas farmers planted 22.8 million acres to corn, wheat, sorghum and soybeans. Yields for all four crops were below 10 bushels per acre. Total crop production for those four crops was 91.4 million bushels. In 2009, Kansas farmers planted 19.8 million acres of corn, wheat, sorghum and soybeans, and harvested 1.35 billion bushels.

“It isn’t fair to compare the growing seasons of 1935 and 2009, but it interesting to see the contrasts,” Schulte said. “With the Dust Bowl and drought, Kansas growers certainly had a difficult year in 1935. While the drought and dust storms decimated crops in 1935, the dramatic increase in crop production today has much to with improved seeds, technology and farming practices.”

The Kansas Senate resolution was introduced by Senator David Haley of Kansas City, whose father, a college-level agriculture teacher, in his classes referred to the Kansas Dust Bowl as an example of survival and perseverance.

The resolution states: “…we remember April 14, 1935, known as “Black Sunday”, and commemorate the 75th anniversary of this tragic event, which had a significant impact on the State of Kansas and forever changed the way farmers work the land; and that we salute the intestinal fortitude of those Kansas farmers and families who withstood this unprecedented devastating force of nature, vividly described as being near plague proportion, and vow not now nor ever to allow the people of Kansas to be compelled to forget our fellow Kansans’ sacrifices.”
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3-31-10--Kansas Corn Up, Sorghum Steady in Planting Report
Kansas growers intend to plant a combined 7.4 million acres of corn and sorghum this year, according to this week's USDA Prospective Plantings report. The report showed an increase in corn and soybean acres, no change in sorghum acres and a decrease in wheat acres in Kansas for 2010.

Kansas corn growers intend to plant 4.70 million acres this year, up 15 percent from 2009. If this projection is correct, 2010 will be the largest area planted to corn in Kansas since 1936. Kansas corn yields in the 1930s were less than 20 bushels per acre. Kansas joins Illinois, Missouri and Ohio in expected acreage increases of 300,000 or more.

Corn acres across the U.S. are expected to reach 88.8 million acres in 2010, up 3 percent from last year. The largest decreases are expected in Iowa, down 200,000 acres, and Texas, down 150,000 acres.

Kansas sorghum acres intend on hitting 2.70 million acres, which is the same as in 2009. Sorghum area to be planted is estimated at 6.36 million acres, down 4 percent from last year. The largest decline is expected in Texas, where growers plan to plant 300,000 fewer acres than last year.

“This projection tells us that there continues to be a high demand for feedgrains and that our growers are committed to meeting the needs of the livestock and ethanol industries. Thanks to improved crop genetics and better farming practices, Kansas growers are looking forward to continuing a trend of higher yields; producing more with less,” says Jere White, executive director for the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Sorghum Producers Association.

Soybean planted acreage is expected to reach 4.10 million acres, up 11 percent from 2010. If this projection is correct, this will be the largest soybean acreage in Kansas history. Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota are all projected to have acreage increases of 100,000 or more.

Wheat is expected to be down 8 percent from 2009, when acres totaled 8.6 million. The U.S. 2010 winter wheat planted area is estimated at 37.7 million acres, down 13 percent from 2009 but up 2 percent from the Winter Wheat Seedings report. This is the lowest United States total since 1970. Of the 2010 total acreage, about 28.3 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 6.0 million acres are Soft Red Winter and 3.4 million acres are White Winter.

Overall, Kansas growers expect to plant 20.1 million acres to the four major crops—corn, sorghum, wheat, and soybeans.

The acreage estimates in the “Prospective Plantings” report are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March. The March Agricultural Survey is a probability survey that includes a sample of approximately 86,000 farm operators selected from a list of producers that ensures all operations in the United States have a chance to be selected. Sampling errors for major crops are generally between 1.0 and 3.0 percent. To see the full “Prospective Plantings” report visit http://www.nass.usda.gov.

3-23-10--Kansas Corn Grower Featured in Book, “Power Trip”
Ken McCauley, Kansas Corn Commissioner and former president of the National Corn Growers Association, is featured in the book “Power Trip”. Author of the book, Amanda Little, visited McCauley’s farm in White Cloud, Kan., and in the late 2009, “Power Trip” hit the book shelves.

McCauley says that Little originally came to his farm to write a technology and fertilizer article for “Wired” magazine. Amanda Little spent a great amount of time on McCauley’s farm. Though an article didn’t appear in “Wired” magazine, McCauley said, “all of a sudden it was a book.”

In “Power Trip”, Little embarks on a journey to understand America’s energy crisis by visiting an offshore oil rig, the Pentagon’s fuel-logistics division, the Talladega Superspeedway, New York City’s electrical grid, laboratories focusing on the future of clean-energy, and, the cornfields of Kansas.

McCauley said he was impressed with the research that Little did on the oil industry and how it has affected our country. “It is a good read and has some very good historical information about the oil industry, politics and agriculture, not to mention a good slice of the McCauley family’s history.”

3-18-10--Kansas Corn Joins Efforts To “Thank a Farmer” at March 18 Ag Day
“If you eat today, thank a farmer.” That’s the message Kansas commodity groups, along with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce will share on Kansas Ag Day on March 18. The Kansas Corn Commission (KCC) and Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) united with agriculture organizations in celebrating Kansas Agriculture Day on Thursday. Ag Day highlights a week long celebration of agriculture in Kansas and across the country. Ag Day activities will be held in Topeka on Thursday. In addition, the group worked with John Deere dealers to place tractors in the communities of Wichita, Overland Park and Tribune to raise awareness of agriculture.

“Kansas Agriculture Week and Ag Day are great opportunities to connect with our leaders and our communities,” according to KCC Chairman Mike Brzon, Courtland. “It is important to get the word about agriculture and how farmers care for their land and animals as a part of their livelihood. We should thank all farmers and ranchers for putting food on our tables.”

Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson signed a proclamation declaring the week of March 14 Kansas Agriculture Week and March 18 Kansas Agriculture Day. The proclamation noted Kansas’ leading roles in grain and beef production, as well as its second place ranking in cropland. Also noted was the $13.9 billion market value of all agricultural products sold in 2008, which placed Kansas seventh in the nation. The same year, the state ranked sixth in farm product exports, valued at $5.9 billion.

“Agriculture has always been the backdrop to life in Kansas. It’s a tradition that predates our statehood, and it continues to contribute to our economic well-being,” said Parkinson. “Kansas farmers and ranchers help fill our food, fiber and fuel needs. During Agriculture Week, especially, we need to remember to thank them for the work they do,” Parkinson said. .

On Ag Day, the Kansas agriculture community will host a luncheon for legislators. Participants will receive a packet of information on Kansas agriculture. In addition, the commodity groups will have displays at the event and be available to answer questions about agriculture.

“We are fortunate that our state’s leaders understand the value of agriculture--that’s not the case in every state,” according to KCGA President Bob Timmons of Fredonia. “That’s why it is critically important that we continue to supply our leaders with information about what we do on our farms and agriculture’s importance to ours state’s economy.”

The “thank a farmer” message also will be taken to the streets during Kansas Ag Day. John Deere dealers will have combines on display on Kansas Agriculture Day, March 18, at three locations across Kansas:
• Hen House Market, 135th and Metcalf, Overland Park
• Century II, Wichita
• Main Street, Tribune

Each of the combines will sport a banner with the message, “If you EAT today, THANK a FARMER.”


“Agriculture is our bedrock. The economy may wax and wane, but demand for food never ends,” said Josh Svaty, secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. “During these challenging economic times, it’s good to know that one in five Kansans has a job that is tied in some way to agriculture and food production.”

For more information on Kansas corn, visit www.ksgrains.com
 

3-17-10--Kansas Corn Commission, USMEF Ink Agreement with Hilton Restaurants for Classic U.S. Beef Burger in Europe
Representatives of the Kansas Corn Commission, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and Amsterdam-based importer Nice to Meat finalized an agreement Tuesday with Hilton Hotels for the launching of a premium U.S. beef burger. The U.S. burger will be featured at more than 120 Hilton Hotel restaurants across Europe, thanks in part to promotional support from Kansas corn producers.

3-15-2010--Kansas Grower Sees Grain Export Opportunities, Obstacles on USGC Mission

Kansas Corn Commissioner Terry Vinduska recently learned first-hand about opportunities and obstacles to building grain export markets to Colombia, Panama and the Dominica Republic. Vinduska, a Marion, Kan. farmer who is Vice Chairman of the US Grains Council (USGC), returned this week from traveling to the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama as a part of the USGC Board and Officers mission.

“The purpose of visiting the Dominican Republic and Colombia was to show market presence and that we are a reliable supplier, along with increasing market share,” Vinduska said

In Colombia, the Grains Council had the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Ambassador for Colombia. Vinduska said the U.S. is missing out on significant exports to Colombia and other Central American countries because of the lack of a trade agreement.

“The Ambassador briefed us on U.S./Colombian trade. There is a great deal of potential here, but the U.S. hasn’t signed the trade agreement,” said Vinduska.

“We must do all we can in order to get that passed. We lose 500 million dollars a year with Colombia because we have no trade agreement. That’s huge. Colombia wants to trade with us because we can provide grain cheaper than our competitors because we are closer.”

The U.S. Grains Council visited a variety of places in the Dominican Republic including Port Rio Haina Feed Plant, the largest poultry producer in the country. They recently built a new feed mill in order to double production and began using DDGS six months ago. The group also toured CND Brewery. This family owned brewery is the largest in the Dominican Republic and uses 100% U.S. barley and corn grits.

The Council’s time in Panama was directed towards Canal Authority. They discussed projections for the future and plans for the new canal with Mr. Alberto Aleman Zubieta, Panama Canal Authority general administrator.

The U.S. Grains Council Latin America and Caribbean Regional office had an official opening of the Council’s newest international office in Panama City.

“The failure of the United States to ratify pending free trade agreements in the area has caused a significant loss in grain business and trade. It also has had a consequential effect on the economic development of our friends and allies in the Latin American region,” said chairman, Rick Fruth. “By establishing an office in Latin America and the Caribbean region, the Council is strategically positioning itself to defend U.S. markets while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life of our trading partners.”

Kurt Shultz is the director of the Panama City office. Shultz has worked for the Council since 1999 and previously served for seven years as USGC regional director for the Mediterranean and Africa before transitioning to his current post. In its first year of operation, the Latin America and Caribbean Region office will focus on the needs of each country, in order to extract greater value for U.S. producers.

“The United States has a significant tariff disadvantage in these countries. It is a top priority of the Council to level the playing field of the market in order to obtain greater U.S. market access,” said Shultz.

The Kansas Corn Commission is a grower board that determines how the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff is invested in the areas of market development, research, promotion and education. For more information, visit www.ksgrains.com

3-11-10--Kansas Corn Growers Attend 2010 Commodity Classic
Ethanol blends, export markets, climate change legislation, image and advocacy were among the many topics discussed amongst corn growers attending the 2010 Commodity Classic.

Kansas Corn Growers Association members and staff joined over 4,000 of the country’s top corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum producers and representatives from leading agribusinesses at the Commodity Classic in Anaheim, Calif.

Various speakers were invited to engage the growers at the Commodity Classic General Session, including Agricultural Economist, Jay Lehr and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke to growers on his respect and appreciation for farmers and his desire to revitalize rural America.

“I believe rural America is the heart and the soul and the guts of America. And, I believe that we have to start paying real attention to our farm families and to those who live in rural America if we want to preserve that value system,” he said.

Vilsack also addressed biotechnology and went on to explain that “We need to focus on the need for expansion and a better understanding of biotechnology, and a greater acceptance of biotechnology. The reality in the world today is that the population of the world continues to grow, and the amount of land available to produce farm products to raise food and fiber and fuel continues to shrink as communities expand and develop around the world. We have got to use science in a significant and important way to increase productivity. Biotechnology has that opportunity.”

Lehr passionately urged Commodity Classic General Session attendees to become strong advocates for agriculture in the face of ongoing attacks from groups such as the Humane Society of the United States, the Environmental Defense Fund and many others.

Lehr urged growers to take proactive steps such as hosting an open house on their farms during the summer, utilizing social media such as Facebook and Twitter and responding directly to inaccurate media reports through phone calls or letters.

National Corn Growers Association President, Darrin Ihnen, of Hurley, S.D., spoke on the utilization of higher ethanol blends and ensuring climate change legislation does not place U.S. agriculture at a disadvantage.

In addition, corn grower delegates from Kansas and other corn-growing states participated in two sessions of Corn Congress, the delegate session that determines the policy that guides the National Corn Growers Association.

KCGA participants included Charles Foltz of Garnett, Ken McCauley of White Cloud, Roger Pine of Lawrence, Pat Ross of Lawrence, John Tibbits of Minneapolis, Bob Timmons of Fredonia, and Terry Vinduska of Marion.

The 2010 Commodity Classic provided a valuable 4-day forum for growers to promote agriculture by bringing both producers and media together. Throughout the event, Kansas growers played a key role in discussing efforts to promote positive images of the corn industry while advocating for public policy that provides and maintains opportunities for growers.

2-15-10--Kansas Corn and Sorghum Join in Social Networking

By DeEtta Bohling, KCGA/KGSPA Communications Specialist
Agriculture has found a place within social media. The Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association (KGSPA) join thousands of people discussing agriculture each day.

2009 was a year of change and growth for social media sites. According to Computerworld Magazine, Facebook has more visitors than any other social networking site. Facebook finished 2009 with 112 million visitors and Twitter finished the year with 20 million visitors, up from just 2 million in 2008.

“When we are posting on social media sites, we don’t just talk about grains. We also work to support our customers, like livestock and biofuels, as well as products our farmers rely upon, like the herbicide atrazine. Agriculture is often under attack on social media sites and it’s up to us to share accurate information,” according to Sue Schulte, director of communications for KCGA and KGSPA.

Ag media, associations, farm organizations, agri-businesses, farmers, and consumers are discussing and learning from each other. Tom Tibbits, a farmer from Minneapolis, Kansas, shares his knowledge and experiences through Facebook, Twitter, and his blog.

“Social media is a tool to connect with both farmers and non farmers. We can have conversations our farms and farming practices and reassure people that we are good stewards of the land and natural resources while providing safe food,” says Tibbits.

Tibbits tells farmers to “Talk about your farm. Let your defenses down when asked a hot button topic such as antibiotic use in livestock or biotech crops. People want to learn more about them.” Tibbits’ blog can be found at http://farmertimes.blogspot.com/

“Social media sites are an innovative way to communicate with the world. If farmers don’t tell their story now, activist groups will. People now turn to social media to gain information and form opinions. As farmers, I encourage you to take a little time to create an online presence. This is a business decision—a decision to help protect your livelihood,” says DeEtta Bohling, KCGA and KGSPA communications specialist.

Visit www.ksgrains.com for more information on how the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers use social media.

2-5-10--Kansas Corn Growers Association Appoints New Leadership
Feb. 5, 2010--The Kansas Corn Growers Association board elected Bob Timmons of Fredonia, KS as the KCGA president at a meeting following the association’s annual meeting on Feb 2. Timmons replaces Brian Baalman, Menlo, who had served as the KCGA president for the past six years.

“We have been fortunate to have Brian as our leader for so many years,” Timmons said. “I know he will continue to provide strong leadership as a board member for KCGA.”

Bill Pauly of Denton was elected vice president; Harvey Heier, Grainfield, was elected secretary and Charles Foltz of Garnett, was re-elected as treasurer.

At the annual meeting, KCGA members heard an issues update, and reviewed and amended the association’s resolutions. The KCGA resolutions guide the association policy throughout the year. Member also elected board members for the southwest, south central and southeast districts. Steve Rome, Hugoton; Kent Moore, Iuka, and Bob Timmons, Fredonia were reelected to the KCGA board.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Sue Schulte
Date: 1/21/10 Phone: 785-448-6922

1-21-10--AGRICULTURE GROUPS DEFEND ATRAZINE AGAINST AGENDA-DRIVEN ATTACKS
53 groups representing tens of thousands of farmers in nearly every state and commodity call for decisions based on science, not politics

Washington, D.C. – A broad coalition of agriculture groups have written to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in defense of the herbicide atrazine, which has become the target of a coordinated attack by environmental groups seeking to eliminate its use. See copy of the letter to the EPA here: http://www.ksgrains.com/corn/Lisa%20Jackson%20Agriculture%20Letter%201-15-2010.pdf). Atrazine, a critical tool in growing crops as diverse as corn, sorghum, sugar cane, and citrus, has been used safely in over 60 countries for 50 years.

The EPA will begin a re-re-evaluation of atrazine as part of a series of Scientific Advisory Panels, which will begin on February 2nd. Recent media events by agenda-driven organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Land Stewardship Project and Pesticide Action Network North America suggest a coordinated campaign to call atrazine’s safety into question and politicize what should be a scientific process. In fact, in an unprecedented move, the EPA itself identified NRDC material as part of its justification to launch the new review.

“We want to set the record straight on the agriculture community’s broad support of this very effective herbicide that has been used by farmers for more than 50 years,” said Jere White, executive director of the Kansas corn and grain sorghum growers associations. “Atrazine is used on more than one-half of all U.S. corn and two-thirds of sorghum. It is one of the primary elements that make American agriculture so phenomenally productive. Every EPA Administration since the EPA was founded – Republican and Democrat – has endorsed atrazine’s safety and that is why we join together to pledge our support and confidence in this product.”

“Atrazine is the foundation for weed control programs in Florida sugarcane and has withstood thorough scientific testing in the U.S. and around the world,” said James M. Shine, Jr., Agriculture Division Vice President for Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida. “Extensive research conducted by scientists inside and outside the government have weighed all the data and concluded that it is safe for the environment, human health, and crop protection. Our communities should feel confident that rigorous science has determined its safety.” It is estimated that atrazine is used in 90 percent of U.S. sugar cane production.

"The use of atrazine and the triazine family herbicides in citrus production have dramatically reduced the need for cultivation and water applications, provided protection against freeze damage, and created a better quality product," said Joel Nelsen, President of California Citrus Mutual.  "Their loss would have a devastating impact on our growers."

The coalition of agriculture groups will be actively involved in the EPA re-evaluation of atrazine and will insist that transparent, peer-reviewed science utilizing accepted practices govern regulatory decision-making.

For more information on this coalition or on atrazine, please contact Sue Schulte at sschulte@ksgrains.com or 785-448-6922.

 

Kansas Commodity Classic is Wednesday, Feb.3
at the Topeka Ramada Inn
Find out what is brewing at the state capitol, how national policies like climate change legislation will affect your farm, and gain a better understanding of the roles of state agencies in agriculture at the Kansas Commodity Classic in Topeka on Wednesday, February 3 at the Topeka Ramada Inn. This annual convention will bring together Kansas grain sorghum, corn and wheat growers for a high powered general session and luncheon. It starts at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at the Topeka Ramada Inn, 420 SE 6th Avenue, Topeka. The program and lunch are free to growers.

“If you plan on growing grains in the next ten years, then you need to sit down with us and listen to Bill Hudson of ProExporter Network,”
according to KCGA Executive Director Jere White. “Bill is one of the best in explaining how public policy and other factors have shaped our markets. More importantly, he will explain how public policy in areas like ethanol and climate change will shape future markets for our grains.”

Kansas Senate President Steve Morris of Hugoton will open the event with welcoming comments at 9:30 a.m. Bill Hudson, founder of ProExporter Network will be the keynote speaker focusing on national policy issues, especially ethanol and climate issues that will affect agricultural markets. A state agency panel will feature Constantine Cotsoradis of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Greg Foley of the State Conservation Commission and Earl Lewis of the Kansas Water Office.

“It is important to understand the roles of these state agencies and how the agencies interact with growers,” White said.

Acting Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty will speak at the Commodity Classic Luncheon.

“Secretary Svaty is a fifth generation farmer in Ellsworth County and is a very strong advocate for Kansas Agriculture,” White said. The lunch will wrap up the day’s events. In the afternoon, growers are encouraged to visit their state legislators.

Over 50 Ag Groups Call on EPA to Continue to Use Science, Not Politics in Atrazine Review
Jan. 15, 2010--Agricultural groups from Kansas and across the nation signed onto a letter to EPA clarifying growers’ support for atrazine. The letter was sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson today. Earlier this month, environmental activist groups submitted a letter to EPA saying growers oppose the use of atrazine.

“It is truly disheartening when political agendas attempt to overturn scientific process,” the letter states. “Such is the case in the January 5th letter submitted to the EPA by a handful of special interest groups misrepresenting themselves as the voice of the agriculture community in an attempt to negate the overwhelming support and confidence in the herbicide atrazine and to gain media attention for themselves.”

Jere White, executive director of the Kansas corn and grain sorghum growers associations said farmers have been involved in EPA’s reviews of atrazine since the mid-1990s. The groups that signed the letter in support of atrazine represent a very large number of farmers and agricultural producers.

“Over 50 national, state, and local grower and agricultural groups signed on to this letter which reaffirms their support of the use of atrazine. These groups represent hundreds of thousands of farmers from Hawaii to Pennsylvania,” White said. “Many of these grower groups have been involved in the EPA’s repeated studies and reviews of atrazine for more than 15 years. I don’t think the environmental activist groups understand that there are trade-offs. For example, removing atrazine would actually hinder many of our row crop farmers’ efforts to use conservation no-till and reduced-till practices. Without atrazine, many would have to return to tilling their land, increasing the risk of erosion and runoff.”

The groups signing the letter asked EPA to understand that the majority of farmers support the use of atrazine and asked EPA to use science, not politics, to arrive at a decision on the safety of atrazine.

The letter states: “Our growers have actively participated in the process and supported the safety and scientific approval of atrazine by the EPA over the last fifteen years and three White House Administrations. Mainstream agriculture has participated in every Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) concerning atrazine since the beginning of the Special Review in 1994. As stated clearly to the November 3, 2009 SAP, we strongly believe the scientific weight of evidence, based on EPA's own analysis for decades, shows atrazine to be both safe and effective and that it is the best kind of tool that farmers can have.

We are troubled by the activist forces that seem to be guiding the very intensive and urgent re-evaluation (actually a re-re-evaluation) of atrazine despite its recently completed re-registration, which provided for its continued safe use.

. . . The benefits of atrazine use to agriculture are well documented and part of existing EPA record. Recent efforts to downplay these benefits in the media are simply the wishes of activists who suggest they have better insight on producing abundant food, fuel and fiber from their comfortable desk than the farmer who has been doing it all his life. It should be noted that our farmers consider themselves the ultimate conservationists, for without the careful cultivation of their land...their own livelihoods are at risk.”


Read the Ag Groups' Letter to EPA Here

1-13-10--Corn Farmers Coalition Message Being Heard

Efforts by the Kansas Corn Growers Association and other corn grower groups to educate Washington policy-makers on farmer’s advances and innovation received special recognition from the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) at the Region II Best of NAMA awards program.

NAMA recognized Kansas Corn Growers Association, a partner in the Corn Farmers Coalition, with a first place for excellence in the Public Affairs/ Issues Management Program category. KCGA also received a first place in the best Radio Series category for educational radio messages played in a dozen states including Kansas.

“Americans are the most productive corn farmers in the world, growing five times more than we did in the 1930s on 20 percent less land. Thanks to amazing innovations, the corn we can grow on each acre will double again in only 25 years. Decision leaders and consumers need to be aware of these advances as we make critical decisions touching on our nation’s largest industry,” said KCGA President, Brian Baalman.

CFC, an alliance of corn farmers from 10 states and the National Corn Growers Association, formed in 2008 to educate policy-makers in Washington about how tech-savvy, innovative farmers are growing more corn every year - for food, animal feed, ethanol and exports - while using fewer resources and protecting the environment.

"The Kansas Corn Growers Association works hard to tell our story and strengthen the bond between farmers and our customers so it is a real honor for us, CFC and the NCGA to be recognized by the largest professional association for professionals in the agri-marketing business,” said Sue Schulte, Communications Director of the KCGA .

1-12-10--Kansas Shatters Record with 2009 Harvest
The January Ag Statistics crop production report was released on Jan. 12 and pegged Kansas Corn production at 598 million bushels, smashing the record of 507 million bushels set in 2007. Yield was 155 bushels per acre, a record for Kansas, beating the previous record of 152 bu/acre set in 1996. US Corn was a record breaking 13.2 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the November 1 forecast, and 1 percent above the previous record of 13.0 billion bushels set in 2007. U.S. grain yield is also estimated at a record level for 2009, at 165.2 bushels per acre. This is up 2.3 bushels from the November forecast and 4.9 bushels above the previous record of 160.3 bushels per acre set in 2004.
 

12-22-10--Kansas Corn Growers Produce Outstanding Yields
National Corn Growers Yield Contest Results
Kansas growers may have not received national honors in the 2009 National Corn Yield Contest, but they have much to be proud of. In the contest, sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, Kansas produced record yields compared to past years. Kansas beat the yield of 296, set in 2008, with a whopping 315 bushels per acre.

The combined average yield of the Kansas winners was 271 bushels per acre compared to 261 bushels in 2008. The highest irrigated yield from Kansas belonged to Merl Rexford of Meade, who had a yield of 315.4 bushels per acre in the irrigated division. The highest non-irrigated yield was from Hugh C. Kinsey of Troy who had a yield of 282.2 bushels per acre in the non-irrigated division.

The national and state contest winners will be honored at the 2010 Commodity Classic to be held in Anaheim, California, March 4-6. The Kansas winners of the National Corn Yield Contest are listed below.

Non-Irrigated
1. Hugh C. Kinsey of Troy planted Pioneer 33D49 for 282.2 bushels per acre
2. Corey Franken of Troy planted Pioneer 33D49 for 278.0 bushels per acre
3. Dean Sudbeck of Seneca planted DEKALB DKC63-42 for 257.9 bushels per acre

No Till/Strip Till Non-Irrigated
1. Jeff Koelzer of Onaga planted DEKALB DKC63-42 for 279.7 bushels per acre
2. Justin Urban of Clay Center planted Pioneer 33D49 for 278.1 bushels per acre
* Hugh C. Kinsey of Troy planted Pioneer 33D49 for 276.2 bushels per acre (awarded in the Non-Irrigated category)
3. Joe Elias of Atchison planted DEKALB DKC63-42 for 266.9 bushels per acre

No Till/Strip Till Irrigated
1. Brett Oelke of Hoxie planted Pioneer 35K03 for 288.7 bushels per acre
2. Danny Koehn of Montezuma planted Pioneer 33P84 for 288.3 bushels per acre
3. Todd M. Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B34 for 285.7 bushels per acre

Ridge Till Non-Irrigated
1. Jimmy R. Elder of Linwood planted Pioneer 33K44 for 206.6 bushels per acre
2. LeRoy R. Elder of Linwood planted Pioneer 33D49 for 200.3 bushels per acre

Ridge Till Irrigated
1. Faye Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B34 for 287.8 bushels per acre
2. Ron Jacobson of Concordia planted Pioneer 32B34 for 276.9 bushels per acre
3. Roger Johnson of Hoxie planted Pioneer 33D47 for 268.9 bushels per acre

Irrigated
1. Merl Rexford of Meade planted Pioneer 33D47 for 315.4 bushels per acre
2. Damion Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B34 for 279.1 bushels per acre
3. DML Farms LLC in Belle Plaine planted DEKALB DKC64-79 for 267.1 bushels per acre.
 

12-8-09--Kansas Corn Commissioner Participates in Corn Mission to Morocco, Egypt and Jordan
GARNETT, Kansas (December 7, 2009)- Kansas Corn Commissioner, Bob Timmons, of Fredonia, KS is one of six corn growers traveling Morocco, Egypt and Jordan for the U.S. Grains Council 2009 Corn Mission. The group has already toured a cattle feedlot, poultry operation and shipping port, and has also met with government and agricultural representatives.

The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission allows for growers and grain buyers to have face-to-face open discussions about U.S. corn.

When Timmons was asked about the expectations he had for the corn mission, he responded by saying, “I am pretty excited about this mission. We support the Grains Council through the Kansas Corn Commission and it is interesting to see how the Council is building markets for our corn.”

The group is now in Egypt, where the US Grains Council has been active in promoting the use of corn and the ethanol coproduct distillers grains not only in beef, but also the growing water buffalo industry. The Council has worked closely with Egyptian water buffalo producers for several years to help develop this rapidly growing industry and encouraging the use of U.S. corn as well as distillers grains (DDGS), a coproduct of ethanol production.

Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm New Media is also on the trade mission and was impressed with a visit to the water buffalo feedlot and dairy operated by Dr. Saad Alhayani, chairman of the Egyptian Buffalo Producers Association.

“He’s raising thousands of buffalo and feeding them corn and DDGS as well as other ingredients,” Zimmerman said. “We saw lots of bags of DDGS at his feedlot. That looked very positive for American corn growers!”

The group visited with government officials, poultry farms and port facilities in Morocco. When leaving Morocco, Joe Zenz, a Wisconsin corn grower said he sees great potential in the Morocco market, but he thinks producers still have a lot to learn about production and the USGC is playing a key role in providing educational resources.

Zimmerman is blogging about the U.S. Grains Council 2009 Corn Mission. You can read more about this corn mission at www.thegrainboard.com and the ZimmComm blog at www.agwired.com.

12-1-09--Kansas Growers Must Wait for EPA’s Science-Based Decision on Ethanol Waiver
The Environmental Protection Agency announced today a delay in its decision on the ethanol industry’s request for higher ethanol blends. A December 1 deadline had been set for EPA to announce its decision on the use of fuel blends up to 15 percent ethanol. The agency said it needed more time to complete scientific evaluation of the request and said a decision should be made by next spring.

In its response to the waiver request, EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy wrote that EPA recognizes higher ethanol blends are necessary to meet renewable fuel requirements and noted that EPA is beginning work to develop labeling for higher blends. She indicated that the ongoing studies have been positive.

“Although all of the studies have not been completed, our engineering assessment to date indicates that the robust fuel, engine and emissions control systems on newer vehicles (likely 2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends, such as E15,” McCarthy said.

Kansas Corn Growers Executive Director Jere White said the association supports EPA’s efforts to make a decision based on sound science. “When the ethanol industry asked EPA for the waiver, we said we had faith in EPA’s ability to conduct a science-based review of higher ethanol blends,” White said. “Today, the agency was honest in saying it needed more time to complete its research. The best outcome would be an interim decision to allow higher blends of ethanol that can be used in all vehicles, including those manufactured before 2001.”

The arbitrary 10 percent blend wall is a barrier not only to the growth of the grain based ethanol industry, but also inhibits the development of cellulosic ethanol.

“Without a robust grain ethanol industry, we won’t be able to develop cellulosic ethanol that holds so much promise. When you add cellulosic ethanol to the mix, we have the opportunity to take a major step dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” White said.

Growers are more than able to provide enough feedstock for both grain and cellulosic ethanol.

“Our growers have proven time and time again that they can provide enough grain to satisfy the needs of all our customers,” White said. “This year U.S. growers are harvesting a near record crop and Kansas will produce over 560 million bushels, shattering the previous record of 507 million bushels set in 2007. With improvements in production practices and crop genetics, our corn farmers will continue to produce an ample supply of corn for feed, fuel and food.”

The Kansas Corn Growers Association represents corn growers in legislative and regulatory issues. More information can be found at www.ksgrains.com

11-6-09--Kansas Corn, Sorghum Groups Boost Outreach Efforts with New Staff Member
GARNETT, Kansas (Nov. 6, 2009)- DeEtta Bohling from Greenfield, Iowa recently joined the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association as Communications and Marketing Associate. The associations represent Kansas sorghum and corn producers in legislative and regulatory issues.

“Our goal was to find a person who could help us beef up our communications efforts while boosting our association’s internet presence, especially in social media,” according to KCGA/KGSPA Director of Communications Sue Schulte. “DeEtta is a great fit and brings a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge in these areas.”

Bohling is a 2009 graduate from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Here she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Public Relations. She received a minor in Business Administration and a Leadership Education Program certificate.

Bohling has been an active member of 4-H, FFA, Adair County Youth Action Committee, Friends of the Library, Wartburg College Student Senate, Entertainment ToKnight, the Volunteer Action Center, Tower Agency Public Relations, Wartburg Television, and served as an ambassador for Wartburg College.

In 2003, Bohling received the Iowa Governor’s Youth Leadership Award. In 2004 she was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame and in 2007 she was awarded with a Wartburg College Nobility Award for her service and leadership.

Before joining the Kansas corn and sorghum associations, Bohling was the Marketing and Social Networking intern for the Iowa 4-H Foundation in Ames, Iowa.
 

Comments on FIFRA SAP on Atrazine Review
Docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0759-0001
November 3, 2009
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, my name is Jere White. I am the executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association and also serve as chairman of the Triazine Network. My expenses to be here are covered by Kansas farmers.

The Triazine Network was formed in 1995 as a response by growers of over 30 commodities and from over forty states, to provide input to the US EPA special review of the triazine herbicides. Our objective is to ensure that EPA has and utilizes the best science. That's why we are here today. We have participated in every SAP concerning atrazine since the beginning of the Special Review in 1994. We believe the scientific weight of evidence shows atrazine to be both safe and effective and that is the best kind of tool that farmers can have.
Last month EPA announced their decision to pursue a very intensive and urgent reevaluation (actually a re-reevaluation) of atrazine, in disregard to it’s recently completed reregistration which provided for its continued safe use. It clearly appears the normal process which included internal review (i.e. data evaluation records) of new studies by EPA, and when deemed appropriate, a further review by its SAP, has been cast away. It seems now that the an NRDC seeded story in the New York Times is all the peer review needed in order to tee up a minimum of five SAPs in just over a year (four indicated in the FR Notice and a minimum of one additional in FY-2011 indicated in the Agency's stakeholder conference call).

The Agency describes this as a "kickoff" meeting which was certainly new terminology in my fifteen years of participation. This seems highly unusual. Perhaps even festive and goal oriented.

Some countries abandon science in their process and subscribe to a precautionary principal that puts at risk their own people. The benefits of atrazine to agriculture are well documented and part of existing EPA record. Recent efforts to downplay the benefits in the media are simply the wishes of activists who suggest they have better insight on producing abundant food, fuel and fiber from their comfortable desk than the farmer who has been doing it all his life. It should be noted that farmers have been some of the best early adopters.

The Triazine Network is disappointed that there appears to be a major departure in process at EPA in regards to the recently announced SAPs re-reassessing atrazine. However, we commit to engage all processes and all options in order to see a science based outcome continue during all Administrations and keep all those we represent and all that represent us informed of the progress.

10-23-09--Kansas Grower Groups Respond to CSI: Miami's Error Laden Anti-Agriculture Episode

In a letter to the General Manager of WIBW TV, a CBS affiliate, Kansas corn and grain sorghum groups expressed concern over the "Bad Seed" episode of CSI: Miami, which aired on October 19. The show attacked almost all segments of agriculture and was filled with misinformation and fear tactics.

Jim Ogle
General Manager
WIBW TV
Topeka, KS

Dear Jim,

On Monday, CBS aired a CSI Miami episode title "Bad Seed". It would have been more aptly titled "Bad Writing"!

I have been a huge fan of all CSI shows since day one. The usual combination of a plausible storyline with reasonable science is a mix I find entertaining and at times educational. This week's episode was neither. In fact it was a slap in the face to your rural constituents.

A key element of the storyline dealing with genetic modification of crops was completely off base. While a single gene is inserted into a seed, an entire organism is not. Every day, millions of people in the United States and around the world consume GM food. It's no less healthy or nutritious than non-GM food. We know this from years of experience as well as extensive scientific and regulatory testing.

Virtually every other scenario in the episode is exaggerated and improbable to the point of being ridiculous because of modern farm management and the checks and balances within our food production system. Our regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have rigid standards regarding food production and safety which are the model for the world.

Seed companies spend millions of dollars and years of study developing, screening, testing and clearing regulatory hurdles for a single gene technology to assure its safety. And when they are successful in bringing a beneficial trait to the market, local TV Stations like WIBW take in thousands of dollars advertising it to farmers. At one point the show talked about "seed drift". There is no such thing.

Livestock producers are strictly regulated regarding the management of water and potential runoff from cattle feedlots, yet in one scene effluent from a feed yard was freely running out a large pipe and into a groundwater source. Of course, if you looked at the cattle, they were not even feeder cattle, but were cows and calves that would never be fattened in a feed lot. I doubt if there are many feedlots in Dade County, FL.
And yes, you can throw in the racial overtones of undocumented Hispanic farm workers and a poor African American farmer being victimized by the large corporate farmer, who of course was affluent and white.

Nearly all the corn farms (95%) in this country are family farming operations that bring generations of expertise to their farms which they intend to pass on to the next generation. Showing them in such an irresponsible manner is unfair and damaging to consumer confidence. Suggesting that "Big Farming" or food companies are amoral and willing to risk people's lives to advance their profits or even feed the masses is unthinkable and damaging to the hard earned trust farmers have earned from the consumer public.

This is truly an issue where stations like WIBW can and should weigh in to CBS. This episode was a disgrace and should not be aired again. And while the general public may tolerate inept storylines because of low expectations, we will not.
We have had a longstanding good relationship with WIBW. I look forward to your response.

Jere White, Executive Director
Kansas Corn Commission
Kansas Corn Growers Association
Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association
PO Box 446
Garnett, KS 66032

Oct. 1, 2009--Grower Leaders Voice Atrazine Support
Growers from Kansas and four other states left their combines this week to talk to leadership from Syngenta Crop Protection about the importance of atrazine to their farming operations. A roundtable meeting was held at the National Corn Growers Association office in Chesterfield, MO, followed by an informal meeting at the Keith Witt farm in Warrenton, MO.

While atrazine was successfully re-registered by EPA in 2006, recent attacks by environmental activists including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have brought the issue to the forefront. Trial attorneys also continue their efforts for legal action against the makers of atrazine.

Growers represented at the meeting included four past NCGA Presidents: Ron Litterer, Iowa; Ken McCauley, Kansas; Dee Vaughan, Texas and Fred Yoder, Ohio. Three past presidents of the National Sorghum Producers were present: Greg Shelor, Kansas; James Vorderstrasse, Nebraska, and Bill Kubecka, Texas.

Atrazine is used to help farmers grow crops in a way that protects the environment, especially with no-till practices, McCauley said. “Environmental activists would like you to believe that farmers don’t need atrazine, so we might as well get rid of it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is it important to our growers’ bottom lines, it is vital to the practices we use to protect the environment,” McCauley said. “The NRDC says we can use another chemical, but ask NRDC what chemicals they do approve of.”

Southwest Kansas sorghum producer Greg Shelor told the group that his no-till practices would not be possible without atrazine. “I can’t no-till without atrazine,” he said. “With no-till there is not near the runoff and without no-till I will have 50 or 60 bushel sorghum instead of the 100 to 120 bushels I have now.”

Iowa grower Ron Litterer said many people don’t understand atrazine’s role in reducing rates of herbicides. “For me atrazine is an enhancer for weed control. Years ago, my dad used it as his sole product. Now we use much lower rates and have better weed control. As an enhancer, atrazine has allowed us to reduce the rates of other chemicals and has made them more effective.”

Atrazine allows Nebraska sorghum farmer James Vorderstrasse to use moisture conserving no-till practices on his farm. “There is no alternative to atrazine,” he said. “Every time you till the soil you lose an inch of moisture. Without atrazine, you’d have to till two or three times pre-plant plus cultivate a couple of times and that amounts to a loss of 5 inches of moisture.”

Ohio Grower Fred Yoder said atrazine has been important to his family farm for years. “I’m trying to remember if we have ever grown corn without atrazine. It’s been around such a long time. But does that mean we need to look at something else? I don’t think so,” he said.

Syngenta CEO Mike Mack and President of Crop Protection Valdemar Fischer participated in the roundtable discussion by phone. Travis Dickinson, Vice President of Marketing; Tim Pastoor, Principal Scientist; Steven Goldsmith Senior Communications Manager and Todd Barlow, State Government Relations Manager participated in a meeting with growers at the National Corn Growers Association offices in Chesterfield, MO. The Syngenta executives reaffirmed their commitment to defending the use of atrazine.

9-11-09--Kansas Growers Continue to Meet Customers Needs with Record 2009 Crop

Kansas corn producers are expected to harvest a record 518 million bushel corn crop this year as part of the nation’s 13 billion harvest. The projected US harvest will just about tie the record 2007 harvest of 13.1 billion bushels. Farmers continue to prove they can meet the needs of their customers, according to Kansas Corn Growers Association Executive Director Jere White.

“What is interesting is that in 2008, the year of the so-called corn shortage, we produced 12.1 billion bushels which at the time was the second largest crop in history,” White said said. “So in the last three years, we are seeing the three largest corn crops in history in the United States.”

The 2009 U.S. corn crop is expected to have an average yield of 162 bushels per acre, a record yield. Kansas Corn Commission Chairman Mike Brzon of Courtland pointed out that farmers are using improved technology and growing practices to produce more corn per acre.

“I wish people would look at the great advances we have made in agriculture that allow us to grow more corn on fewer acres and at the same time substantially reduce our use of fertilizers and pesticides, and we’ve reduced erosion as well,” Brzon said. “We don’t seem to get credit for any of that.”

In 2008, many predicted a corn shortage, and some groups called for a stop in the use of corn for ethanol to prevent the shortage. Corn based ethanol was blamed for sharp spikes in consumer food prices. Markets joined the clamor, with speculators raising the price of corn near $8 per bushel for a short time in the summer of 2008. That fall, corn producers harvested the second largest crop in history, and ended the year with a significant corn carryover of 1.7 billion bushels.

“Many special interest groups have found that fear is the best weapon,” White said. “Last year, anti-ethanol groups used fear to attack corn producers and the ethanol industry blaming ethanol for a fictitious corn shortage. In the end, it was corn’s customers as well as consumers who were hurt by speculators who bought into the fear and elevated crop prices to record levels.”

Higher prices across the board were blamed on corn and ethanol last year. The AMC movie theater chain blamed an increase in ticket prices on higher popcorn costs.

“You can imagine the markup on popcorn at a movie theater when you pay more than $5 for a bag of popcorn. That was simply a bogus excuse,” White said. “But what concerns me is that while commodity prices dropped dramatically, consumer food prices have not dropped that much. Last year food prices increased 5.1 percent and food companies blamed corn and ethanol, while they pocketed record profits. They were in a hurry to raise the prices, but seem a little slower to lower them even at a time when consumers are suffering through a recession.”

The Kansas Corn Commission was one of several corn grower groups that created the Corn Farmers Coalition, a national effort to provide accurate information about corn farming. The Corn Farmers Coalition used information from credible sources like the US Department of Agriculture to make sure decision-makers in Washington, DC and others were well informed about today’s corn production.

“I don’t think people understand how much farming has changed especially in the last 10 years. Just like any business technology has made us so much more efficient,” Brzon said. “Last year we had floods in some isolated areas and people thought the corn crop was doomed. This year, we had late planting and a cool growing season in many areas. By overcoming these adversities with near record results, we are proving that our growers can provide a reliable supply of corn for all of our customers year after year.”

The Kansas Corn Commission is a nine member grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff in the areas of research, market development, education and promotion. For more information, visit www.ksgrains.com.

8-28-09--Even Without Clunker Program, Car Buyers Can Save with Flex Fuel Tax Credit

While the “Cash for Clunkers” program has ended, Kansas motorists can take advantage of a $750 tax credit when they buy a flexible fuel vehicle and use E85 ethanol fuel, Kansas Corn Commission Communications Director Sue Schulte said. The FFV option is available on many models of cars, SUVs and pickups. These vehicles are able to operate on any combination of gasoline and ethanol up to 85 percent ethanol (E85).

“Flex fuel vehicles are just that—flexible,” she said. “You can use pure gasoline, or up to 85 percent ethanol whenever you want. It simply gives you more choices at the pump.”

 The state’s E85 tax credit makes buying an FFV an even more attractive option. 

“Even without the Cash for Clunkers program, there are a lot of great incentives for new vehicles with low interest rates and good trade-in values. It’s easy to see why so many people are looking at buying a new vehicle. The state’s E85 tax credit has been around for quite a while and it’s important to remind consumers of this excellent incentive as well,” Schulte said. “A lot of new vehicles have a flex fuel option at no extra cost that allows you to use higher ethanol blends”

Under the state’s FFV tax credit program, the owner of a new FFV has two years in which to use 500 gallons of E85 to qualify for the $750 tax credit.

“With the $750 tax credit and the availability of E85 fuel in cities across the state, why wouldn’t you look into it? There is no downside to choosing a vehicle with the flex fuel option—it gives you more control over your fuel choices,” Schulte said. “Increasing the number of flex fuel vehicles in Kansas fits well with our goal of adding more blender pumps in Kansas and throughout the nation that can offer higher ethanol blends.”

The Kansas Corn Commission has joined several other corn producing states, the Renewable Fuels Association and the American Coalition for Ethanol to add ethanol blender pumps in key locations across the nation. Blender pumps offer E85 fuel as well as other mid-grade ethanol blends such as E20 and E40. Eleven plants currently produce 450 million gallons of fuel ethanol in Kansas providing jobs and economic stability to communities and providing a market for Kansas farmers.

“In a time when people are trying to buy local, why not buy local fuel? Ethanol is produced right here in Kansas with products from Kansas farms,” Schulte said. “With the E85 tax incentive and no added cost for the flex option, buying an FFV looks better than ever.”

Over 45 fuel retailers who sell higher blends of ethanol including E85 are located in cities across Kansas. F

Where to find E85 Fuel in Kansas

Information on the Kansas E85 Tax Credit

Kansas Growers Say Activist Groups Twist EPA Atrazine Data to Alarm Consumers
8-25-09--Three media events on August 23-24 highlighted activists’ efforts to raise public concern about the herbicide atrazine. The New York Times, Huffington Post and National Resources Defense Council all release reports about atrazine on Sunday and Monday. The stories were based on data from a monitoring program that Syngenta, the maker of atrazine, entered into with EPA in 2003. The Atrazine Monitoring Program (AMP) is an intensive monitoring program currently focusing on about 100 community water systems located primarily in the Midwest.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level (MCL) for atrazine at 3 parts per billion (ppb) based on an annual average in public drinking water. Atrazine is among a list of 87 drinking water contaminants routinely monitored by the EPA. Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association said results of the two testing programs should not be used to confuse consumers.

“The focus of the AMP program is different than the normal water sampling that is done to determine the annual MCL for drinking water systems,” White said. “This study is focused on areas with higher atrazine usage—basically a closer look. The EPA set a guideline under this program of 37.5 ppb atrazine plus three metabolites (breakdown products) over a 90-day period as a benchmark for a level of concern.”

The activist groups used two sets of data to cause concern among consumers, White said.

“You can do anything with numbers. There are spikes, but those spikes were taken into consideration by EPA when the 3 parts per billion annual drinking water level for atrazine was set. That’s why it is an annual average and not a daily or weekly number. But to then take data from an entirely different program, and suggest that the levels were above the EPA’s MCL for atrazine is simply misleading.”

In its July 2009 update, EPA stated, “Through its review of this data, the Agency has confirmed that none of the systems have exceeded OPP's level of concern, a 90-day average of 37.5 parts per billion (ppb) of atrazine and its degradates. Concentrations below this 90-day average are considered to be safe.”

“If you look at the data, you see that atrazine levels in raw (untreated) water have decreased. Farmers are using practices that reduce the amount of runoff from fields, and that keeps chemicals out of surface water,” White said. “This is actually very good news, which has gone unreported.”

Atrazine is crucial to the success of no-till farming operations that have a wide range of environmental benefits. No-till is a practice that leaves crop residue, like corn stalks, in the field to cut down on soil erosion and runoff of fertilizers and farm chemicals.

“When you talk about soil conservation and reducing runoff, you have to talk about no-till farming practices,” White said. “This practice is making a real difference when it comes to conservation. But many growers say without residual weed control that atrazine offers, they would not be able to continue their no-till practices. Farmers have a good story to tell, producing more with less. For example, look at what corn producers have done in the last 10 years. For the same bushel of corn produced in 1987, today our land use is down 37 percent, soil loss is down 69 percent.”

For more information and background on this issue, visit this Atrazine Blog

8-12-09--Kansas Corn Commission Partners in Effort to Expand Ethanol Fueling Infrastructure

The Kansas Corn Commission is partnering with several corn states, National Corn Growers Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to install 5,000 blender pumps across the nation over the next three years. Consumers can enjoy more choices at the pump, gas station owners can experience product flexibility, and the nation can achieve its renewable fuels targets – all thanks to the blender pump and the wider distribution of E85 and mid-range ethanol blends. The program was announced at the 22nd Annual Ethanol Conference & Trade Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 11.

“This spring, corn grower groups from across the country asked the ethanol associations to work together to give us a proposal for a comprehensive effort to increase the market for ethanol by adding blender pumps to key areas across the nation,“ KCC Chairman Mike Brzon of Courtland said. “This effort goes well beyond just giving retailers money to add an ethanol pump. We will benefit from the expertise of ACE and RFA working together to provide technical and marketing assistance to fuel retailers to help them see the benefit to offering ethanol blends to their customers. They will also help them take advantage of existing state and federal incentives.”

The “Blend Your Own Ethanol” campaign, BYOethanol, will offer a single source of ethanol information and technical expertise for petroleum marketers looking to upgrade equipment or begin offering more choices to their customers. By serving as a central clearinghouse for renewable fuels infrastructure incentives, the “BYOethanol” campaign will bring blender pumps to key areas of the country, and from there they will spread as neighboring gas stations see the benefit and want to remain competitive.

Blender pumps are not new to the fuel industry, but are now finding new use with ethanol and E85. A blender pump features two underground tanks, typically one with unleaded and one with E85, and the dispenser blends the appropriate percentages of the two fuels to create any blend of ethanol from zero to 85 percent. Gas station owners benefit from product flexibility and by being ready for future renewable fuel blend levels, and consumers benefit by having new choices at the pump like E20 or E30 for their flexible fuel vehicles.

“This campaign will be successful because it works directly with petroleum marketers, not paying them to put in a blender pump, but explaining to them why it’s a good business decision, how it will benefit the station, and helping them access the state and federal incentives that exist,” said Ron Lamberty, Vice President / Market Development of the American Coalition for Ethanol. “If we present petroleum marketers with the facts about why this is a good business decision – and it is a good business decision – they will consider adding blender pumps to their stations. Now our job is to get this information out to as many of them as possible, and we’ve already begun doing that.”

Along with the National Corn Growers Association, several leading corn-producing states are participating in this program. At press time, states participating are the Kansas Corn Commission, the Kentucky Corn Promotion Council, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, the Nebraska Corn Board, and the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, with several other states on the verge of joining this effort.

“Blender pumps are the best way to expand the reach of renewable fuels, and it’s time for a national campaign to get this infrastructure in the ground and get consumers the choices they deserve,” said Robert White, Director of Market Development for the Renewable Fuels Association. “No matter where their station is located, retailers will have a wide variety of options to increase their profit margin while lowering the cost for consumers. We are grateful to be working with the corn grower organizations and the American Coalition for Ethanol.”

The “BYOethanol” campaign will function as an expanded market development program of the two ethanol groups and will serve as the only one-stop source for all the technical, regulatory, safety, and environmental information petroleum marketers need about retailing ethanol blends. The program will feature extensive work at petroleum marketer events and a Web presence designed specifically for station owners to easily get the information they want.

The nearly 200 blender pump locations in the U.S. today can be seen on this map: www.tinyurl.com/ACEblenderpumpmap.

The Kansas Corn Commission is a nine-member grower board that determines how the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff is invested in the areas of market development, research, promotion and education. The commissioners are elected by growers in each of the state’s nine crop reporting districts. For more information, visit www.ksgrains.com or call 800-489-2676.

7-24-09--Kansas Grower Elected Vice Chairman of US Grains Council
Kansas corn producer Terry Vinduska of Marion, Kansas was elected vice chairman of the US Grains Council this week. Vinduska represents the Kansas Corn Commission on the Council. Vinduska served as US Grains Council treasurer during the 2008/2009 term. He has been on the USGC board of directors for six years.

Vinduska has been a strong proponent of the council’s efforts and continues to encourage work to build exports of corn.

“Informa Economics has determined that the return on investment for the Grains Council is $50 per every dollar that the corn commission invests,” Vinduska said. “So for every dollar our Kansas Corn Commission puts into the Grains Council, we get $50 worth of corn exports through the Council’s work. I think that is a phenomenal return on investment for our growers.” MORE

The 2009/2010 USGC officers are: Chairman Rick Fruth, Ohio Corn Marketing Program; Vice Chairman Terry Vinduska, Kansas Corn Commission; Treasurer Wendell Shauman, Illinois Corn Marketing Board; Secretary Don Fast, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee; and Past Chairman Jim Broten, North Dakota Barley Council. The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, grain sorghum and related products. Founded in 1960, the Council is a private, non-profit corporation with nine international offices and programs in more than 50 countries.

The Kansas Corn Commission is a nine member grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff in the areas of research, market development, education and promotion. For more information, visit www.ksgrains.com.
 

4-24-09--Growers Say Out of State Trial Attorneys Miss the Point in Kansas Atrazine Lawsuit

Two out-of-state law firms are now saying that two Kansas grower groups are simply trying to protect the financial success of a Swiss chemical company after the corn and grain sorghum associations blew the whistle on an effort to sign up Kansas towns to join a lawsuit against the maker of atrazine. Nothing could be farther from the truth, according to Jere White, executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. Instead, corn and sorghum farmers are working to protect access to an important herbicide that has been safely used to control weeds on Kansas farms for years.

“The financial success we are concerned about is a lot closer to home. It is in the corn and sorghum fields of Marion County, Kansas,” White said. “A frivolous lawsuit like this can result in taking atrazine off the shelves in Kansas and throughout farm country. That would have far reaching consequences with our growers who rely on atrazine for weed control and conservation tillage.”

KCGA and KGSPA were surprised to learn earlier this month that the farming communities of Hillsboro and Marion had signed on to a lawsuit against the makers of atrazine alleging contamination of their drinking water. Atrazine levels in the drinking water of both cities are well below the 3 parts per billion drinking water standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

In a statement to the media, the trial attorney firms of Baron and Budd, P.C. and Korein Tillery claimed that Kansas corn and sorghum farmers are only interested in protecting the financial interests of a Swiss company.

“Law firms whose office locations include Dallas, Chicago, Beverly Hills and St. Louis are claiming that they are just trying to protect the little guy in Marion County? I find that hard to swallow,” White said.

According to published reports, the law firms, headquartered in Dallas and St. Louis, will retain a third to a half of all the winnings if the lawsuit is successful.

“It sounds to me like these big city lawyers are the ones protecting their financial interests in this case,” White said. “They are in Kansas trolling for water systems to sign on to their lawsuit because it is in their financial interest to do so.”

Kansas farmers use atrazine to control broadleaf weeds in corn and sorghum. Growers have funded research in Kansas to develop best management practices that help keep atrazine on the fields and away from sources of drinking water. In addition, atrazine is a crucial tool for conservation tillage in Kansas.

“We’re in this to protect our growers’ interests,” White said. “Atrazine is a safe, effective and affordable herbicide that helps our growers control weeds in their crops. What’s more, our growers are using practices that are keeping the levels of atrazine well below EPA’s drinking water standard. That means even according to EPA’s extremely strict standards, atrazine at these levels presents no threat to drinking water.”

The trial attorneys have told cities they are only after compensation from a foreign herbicide maker and no one else will be hurt by this lawsuit.

“I’m not so sure that is true,” White asserted. “The contract entered into by the cities of Marion and Hillsboro states that damages may be sought not only from the maker of atrazine, but also anyone who sells it. They are talking about the ag retailers in our state, the local dealers like farmers cooperatives who provide our farmers with their crop protection tools.”

The Baron and Budd and Korein Tillery law firms asserted that cities are required to add filtration systems just to get atrazine levels within federal standards.

“If your atrazine levels are well within the federal standards anyway, why would you invest in new filtration systems to meet those standards,” White said. “Their premise is flawed in that they believe water should be completely free of all levels of contaminants. The list of contaminants that EPA monitors is six pages long with a total of 87 contaminants with maximum contaminant levels designated. That’s good news for Baron and Budd and Korein Tillery—once they are done with atrazine, they have a lot of other moneymakers to go after.”

The trial attorneys in their statement asserted that Syngenta, one of the makers of atrazine is boosting its efforts to sell the herbicide in the U.S. since they no longer sell it in Europe.

“I listen to a lot of ag radio and read a lot of ag publications, and I can’t remember the last time I heard or saw an ad for atrazine,” White said. “It’s an ingredient in several herbicide products, but you just don’t see companies out there pushing atrazine on our farmers. Ads are focused on newer technologies. Farmers are already aware of atrazine because they have used it safely for years.”

City officials claim that their communities’ drinking water is safe, but are seeking damages in a lawsuit that claims that atrazine at any level makes drinking water unsafe.

“Hillsboro and Marion are suing on the assumption that the drinking water is contaminated with atrazine. The cities signed on to the lawsuit over drinking water contamination, but then say their water is safe. They are right, their water is safe because atrazine levels are far below the federal drinking water standard. So why are they in this lawsuit?”

The law firms also commend the cities for their compliance with the Kansas Open Records Act and Kansas Open Meetings Act. The growers associations have formally requested that the Marion County Attorney’s office investigate alleged violations of the open meetings and records act.

“It shouldn’t take almost a month and filing a formal complaint to get public documents,” White said. “If these out-of-state law firms think that is commendable, maybe they need to become more familiar with Kansas law.”

The growers associations are continuing their dialogue with cities and water systems in Kansas. “We are encouraging cities and other water systems to talk to the experts at EPA or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment before jumping onto the trial attorneys’ bandwagon,” White said.

 

4-23-09--City of Hillsboro Supplies Atrazine Lawsuit Records to Growers Associations

After nearly a month of efforts, the Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association received information used by the Marion and Hillsboro city councils when they joined a lawsuit against the makers of the herbicide atrazine.

On April 13, the associations asked the Marion County Attorney to investigate alleged violations of the Kansas Open Records Act, and the Kansas Open Meetings Act by the cities of Marion and Hillsboro. The city councils met in a closed session last month to discuss entering into a lawsuit against the manufacturers of atrazine. Later, both cities voted in open sessions to join the lawsuit being initiated by the Texas law firm Baron and Budd, P.C.

“I made an informal request to Hillsboro city manager Larry Paine for certain meeting materials on March 27. On April 2, I mailed to both cities a formal request asking for the materials in accordance with the Kansas Open Records Act,” White said. “The City of Marion denied the existence of documents, and the City of Hillsboro denied us access, although the documents were given to the local newspaper. This led to our request to the Marion County Attorney for an investigation into open records and meetings violations.”

The associations received the requested materials from the City of Hillsboro on April 23. The City of Marion has told us through their legal counsel that certain requested items were not retained after the March 12 meeting.

It is a fundamental right to all Kansans to have access to records and meetings of their elected officials in a timely manner. The state law gives only a small set of circumstances in which access may be denied and the state law requires that public bodies respond to an open records request within three business days.

“We began requesting these materials nearly a month ago, and we were ignored until we asked for an investigation by the county attorney,” White said.

The growers associations are hoping other communities that are contacted make better informed decisions on the atrazine lawsuit.

“We are trying to let other communities know about this issue so they can make informed decisions on whether to join the lawsuit, urging them to talk to experts at EPA or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment who understand the drinking water standards,” White said.

In his request to the Marion County Attorney, White also questioned the legality of the two councils meeting together in a closed session to discuss the lawsuit. To date, the Marion County Attorney has not responded to the association’s request, but County Attorney Susan Robson told the Marion County Record that she is looking into the matter.

“Regardless of the recent receipt of materials, we fully expect that the issue of compliance with our states “sunshine” laws will be explored and determined,” added White. “Citizens should not have to jump through so many hoops to have access to public documents.”
 

4-14-09--Kansas Growers Ask Marion County Attorney to Investigate Open Records, Open Meeting Violations

The Marion County Attorney has been asked to investigate alleged violations of the Kansas Open Records Act, and the Kansas Open Meetings Act by the cities of Marion and Hillsboro. Kansas Corn Growers Association Executive Director Jere White made the request on Monday. The city councils of Marion and Hillsboro met in a closed session last month to discuss whether to enter into a lawsuit against the manufacturers of atrazine, a herbicide used by corn and grain sorghum farmers.

White requested from both cities copies of all materials relating to the health effects of atrazine that were provided to the Councils. The City of Hillsboro did not respond to the formal request, but in response to an earlier informal request, City Administrator Larry Paine said the documents were reviewed in executive session and were protected by attorney-client privilege. The City of Marion denied the existence of any documents.

“Although one city official denied the existence of documents, and another denied us access, these documents were provided to the local media,” White said. “You can’t pick and choose. You can’t deny one person the documents, and then give them to someone else.”

White also requested and did not receive a response to his request for a copy of the contract that the City of Hillsboro entered into with the law firm. In his letter to the county attorney, Susan Hobson, White also challenged the legality under the Kansas Open Meetings Act for two separate councils to meet together in executive session.

“I’ve served in local government myself and I understand how important it is to follow the open records and open meetings laws,” White said. “We have tried to do things properly by making formal requests for information to the cities. When we were denied or ignored, we talked to the Kansas Attorney General’s office which recommended asking the Marion County Attorney to investigate the matter.”

The Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association became involved when the two cities agreed to join in a lawsuit against the makers of atrazine. Both towns’ water systems fall well below the 3 parts per billion drinking water standard for atrazine. City officials were reportedly told that atrazine is more dangerous at even lower levels. White, who has been involved in EPA’s Special Review of atrazine since 1995, said he had not heard any substantiated research to back those claims.

“Basically you’ve got trial attorneys looking to make some money by convincing people their drinking water is unsafe,” White said. “EPA sets stringent standards for safe drinking water and the water that is provided to the people of Marion and Hillsboro is well within those standards. Instead of taking the word of these Texas trial attorneys, the city councils should have also consulted with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment or EPA.”
 

4-2-09--Kansas Farming Communities Targeted by Trial Attorneys for Atrazine Lawsuit
News that two Kansas agricultural communities have signed on as participants in a class action lawsuit against the maker of the farm herbicide atrazine came as both a surprise and a disappointment to the Kansas Corn Growers Association and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. The cities of Hillsboro and Marion were selected by a group of Texas trial lawyers seeking drinking water systems to sign on to their case.

Jere White, executive director of KCGA and KGSPA has been involved with atrazine issues on a national level since 1995 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began a Special Review of the triazine herbicides including atrazine.

“What concerns me is that these city councils only heard one-sided information provided by the Texas law firm of Baron and Budd, which will reportedly collect a third of any winnings of the lawsuit,” White said. “Why not also get information from experts that don’t have a monetary interest, like Kansas Department of Health and Environment or EPA?”

In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency gave a favorable risk assessment to the triazine herbicides including atrazine concluding that they pose no harm that would result to the general U.S. population, infants, children or other consumers.

After the EPA’s positive science-based findings on atrazine, activists have turned to the legal system in hopes of finding another way to ban the herbicide, White said.

“When we became involved in the Special Review of atrazine, we simply wanted EPA to make a decision on scientific fact regardless of the outcome,” he said. “Now the debate has moved into the legal arena, where fear and misinformation can sometimes carry more weight than proven scientific fact. EPA assembled numerous expert science panels to review and advisee the agency in its decision. Their science is sound.”

Media reports state that the city officials were told their communities had nothing to lose by getting involved in the lawsuit.

“From reading the news reports, it appears the councils had been convinced that no one loses in this lawsuit except for a big foreign-owned chemical company. That could not be further from the truth. Farmers rely on atrazine for safe and economical weed control, and lawsuits like this threaten their ability to buy and use this product. Any costs incurred with this lawsuit will be borne by farmers, regardless of the outcome,” White said. “The Texas trial attorneys made it sound like the lottery—but the jackpot will go to Baron and Budd.”

Water testing shows that both communities fall well below the 3 parts per billion standard for atrazine in drinking water. This Federal standard is an annual average based on lifetime exposure. However, Hillsboro city manager Larry Paine was quoted in news stories saying that even lower levels of atrazine are a concern to public health, claiming that lower levels seem to be more dangerous to higher levels.

“I have personally been involved in the EPA Special Review and Reregistration of atrazine since 1995. I have heard a lot of wild claims, but I have never heard anything like that,” White said. “EPA performed a science-based review of atrazine that spanned well over a decade and concluded that atrazine does not pose a risk even at levels three times higher than those reported at Hillsboro.”

Communities and their water systems also have a stake in making sure that water standards are science-based.

“It is in the best interest of water systems and to public safety to have standards that are set by science-based methods, rather than litigation,” White said. “Water systems themselves add chemicals to the water to make it safe to drink. Those water disinfectants create contaminants, yet within the standards, they are considered safe. If science-based standards are not protective in the eyes of Hillsboro and Marion city leaders, how can they expect their constituents to accept their assurance that their drinking water is safe? Water consumed by their citizens will always contain more than hydrogen and oxygen.”

Cities should be wary of trial lawyer’s tactics and seek information from a neutral party, like KDHE or EPA. “There are volumes of peer reviewed science available on atrazine that were generated throughout EPA’s Special Review of the triazine herbicides, which include atrazine,” White said. “Our growers have worked for years to make sure that we are using atrazine responsibly on our fields. We have funded research at K-State to establish and implement practices to keep atrazine from running off our fields into rivers and streams. Now we have trial attorneys from Texas coming to our rural Kansas towns and apparently feeding them a lot of misinformation to get them to sign on to their lawsuit. Cities and other water systems in Kansas should use diligence if approached by trial attorneys on any issue, including this one.”
 

3-25-09--Kansas Con Commissioners Get Firsthand Look at Importance of Strong Asian Markets for US Beef

Assessing efforts to regain market share for U.S. beef in Japan and Korea was the focus of three Kansas corn commissioners in a recent trip with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Members of the Kansas Corn Commission have returned from Japan and South Korea where they observed the work of USMEF and the retail and foodservice performance of U.S. beef and pork products. These two countries are major importers of U.S. red meat.

Corn Commissioners Brian Baalman of Menlo, Ken McCauley of White Cloud, Bob Timmons of Fredonia, and KCC Executive Director Jere White were joined on the trip by USMEF Vice Chairman Keith Miller of Great Bend, and farm broadcaster Greg Akagi of the Kansas Agriculture Network. White said the Kansas Corn Commission is marking its 30th year of work with the US Meat Export Federation, and over that time, has invested over one million dollars in building red meat export markets through USMEF.

“A few years ago we surpassed one million dollars in funding to the USMEF which is a significant amount of dollars from a checkoff program that is relatively small in comparison to other corn states,” KCC Executive Director Jere White said. “We’ve made a commitment, and we wanted to highlight that relationship back to our friends in the livestock industry, and also to help educate ourselves. We were there with three commissioners that are making the funding decisions to give them an actual hands-on look at how their decisions are actually making a difference. We certainly saw that in our visits.”
 

In addition to meeting with key importers and distributors, team members visited the largest cold storage facility in Japan and were impressed to see the amount of U.S. beef currently entering the country. They were able to see chilled products arriving from several Kansas plants as well as many other plants across the United States.

McCauley, who represents northeast Kansas on the corn commission, said the success of Kansas corn farmers is directly tied to strong markets for Kansas and U.S. beef and pork.

“Japan is our biggest export customer. We need to keep in close contact and make sure our customers are happy,” McCauley said. “That’s what we’re here to do--not only to talk about the beef market but actually help them increase the pounds coming over here and that translates back home to more corn demand.”

USMEF has played a key role reopening beef export markets to Asian markets after a single case of BSE was found in the U.S. late 2003. Baalman, who represents northwest Kansas on the commission, said work needs to continue to rebuild those export markets for beef.

“It really affects the U.S. cattleman here today. The lost value is probably in the range of 100 to 150 a head of lost value in the Japanese market that could be re-attained if we can just get some cooperation between our two governments and I think we are just on the cusp of getting that to open up,” Baalman said. “To me it’s like turning the switch on—the value comes back to us as corn producers because livestock has always been our number one customer.”

McCauley said the stop in South Korea after visiting Japan illustrated how important it is for U.S. beef to regain a foothold in the Korean market.

“When you get into the grocery stores in Korea, it’s a very good selection, much more selection on products,” McCauley said. “It looked a lot like the U.S. stores but different products. We got the opportunity to see a lot of U.S. beef in the stores as well as a lot of Australian corn fed beef, which surprised me. I think our U.S. beef producers have some real bona fide competition from Austrailia.”

The Australian beef industry is also working to strengthen Korean markets for its product. Currently nearly Australian beef has a 65 percent market share, compared to 15 percent for U.S. beef in Korea. However, a majority of Korean consumers prefer U.S. beef.

It is important to for corn producers to understand the challenges and opportunities U.S. beef has in Japan and Korea, according to Timmons, who represents southeast Kansas on the commission

“We need to be able to understand the problems the beef industry has in getting their products sold. And Japan is a good example of a place that really wants our beef but there are the restrictions that have caused a lot of problems. For the corn commission, it has been important for us to fund the USMEF, and we’ve seen while we’ve been here they are doing a really good job. They have a good staff that’s promoting U.S. meat in Japan and Korea. The work they’re doing with the importers is a good thing for the beef industry as well as the corn industry.”

The Kansas Corn Commission is grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff in the areas of market development, research, promotion and education to increase the profitability of corn.

 

3-6-09--Kansas Growers Support Ethanol Industry’s Interest in Raising Ethanol Limit
Interest in the ethanol industry to move beyond the current 10 percent ethanol regulatory blending cap or “blend wall” would benefit growers of grains used to make ethanol, according to the Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association (KGSPA). Producers in Kansas stand ready to provide the feedstock to make such an increase successful if it is approved.

The pieces seem to be falling into place to move beyond the blend wall. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recently issued a decision that ethanol blends up to 15 percent can be used in existing fuel pumps. Media reports say the Environmental Protection Agency is looking at the possibility of allowing higher ethanol blends, and ethanol industry groups appear poised to request action from EPA. Kiplinger.com published a letter from Ford Motor Company supportive of efforts to raise the ethanol blend wall up to 15 percent.

“Our growers have proven time and time again that we can produce enough grain to satisfy the needs of our customers. Kansas farmers produced over 700 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum on 6.6 million acres in 2008,” according to Sue Schulte, KCGA and KGSPA communications director. “We will continue to work with our customers to safely produce an abundant supply of grain for feed, fuel and food uses. Efforts by the ethanol industry to move consumer fuel choices beyond the 10 percent ethanol blend wall are both directly and indirectly tied to our farmers bottom line.”

EPA would be the agency which would determine whether the ethanol level can be increased.

“We have confidence in EPA’s ability to conduct a science-based review pertaining to higher ethanol blends,” Schulte said. “There are many credible studies that would support the ethanol industry’s efforts to increase the base level of ethanol in fuel up to 15 percent.”

Kansas currently has 12 ethanol operating ethanol plants that produce nearly 450 million gallons of ethanol per year. About 160 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum are used to make ethanol in Kansas. In 2008, Kansas farmers produced over 700 million bushels of corn and grain sorghum. One-third of the grain used for ethanol returns to the feeding stream as distillers grains, a high-nutrient livestock feed valued by Kansas livestock feeders.
 

3-5-2009--Kansas Corn Commission Supports Corn Farmers Coalition Effort to Tell Growers Story

Grown on family farms throughout Kansas and the rest of the nation, corn is one of the most versatile crops around. But in the past year, the crop has been blamed for increasing food prices, using up valuable land and even raising ticket prices at movie theaters. The Kansas Corn Commission is one of several state grower organizations that is educating decision makers on the role of corn farmers through a new effort called the Corn Farmers Coalition. On Monday, the coalition rolled out a new website at cornfarmerscoalition.org.

“The Kansas Corn Commission joined with several other states and the National Corn Growers Association to form this coalition with one goal—to make sure that the corn grower’s story is told accurately,” according to KCC Chairman Mike Brzon of Courtland. “Corn farmers have a great story to tell. We are using less fertilizer, less chemicals, less water and less tillage and at the same time we are producing record amounts of corn to supply all our customers.”

The focus of the coalition is educational and aims to make sure decision makers in Washington and elsewhere have correct information about corn farming. The coalition launched a web site this week at cornfarmerscoalition.com as well as an advertising campaign and a statistical abstract on America’s biggest crop.

“Throughout 2008, we were attacked again and again from special interest groups who insisted we could not produce enough corn for our customers,” Brzon said. “We harvested the second largest crop in history, and we had more corn leftover from 2008 than we did from 2007, which is the biggest crop ever.”

The coalition will meet with reporters, think tanks and members of Congress to talk about what’s ahead: how U.S. farmers, using the latest technologies, will continue to grow enough corn in an environmentally friendly way to meet all our needs; the prospects for making the farm bill more responsive to the market; and the future of renewable fuels, a vital issue for our economy and national security and a key issue for the new administration. The coalition’s web site has valuable information that is useful to anyone interested in agriculture.

 “This website is also a great resource for those involved in agriculture. It has a comprehensive fact book with excellent information,” Brzon said. “For example, farmers grow five times as much corn as they did in the 1930s — on 20 percent less land. And we produce 70 percent more corn per pound of fertilizer than we did in the 1970s. This is the type of valuable information that is offered on the cornfarmerscoalition.org web site.”

The Kansas Corn Commission is a grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff in the areas of market development, research, promotion and education to increase the profitability of Kansas corn.

3-3-09--KSU Students Get Free Ethanol Fuel and Talk About Renewables
A two hour fuel promotion at the Manhattan Coop drew more than 200 carloads of K-State students looking for free fuel, free lunch and a chance to talk about renewable fuels. The event was spearheaded by the Renewable Fuels Association and sponsored by the Kansas Corn Commission to kick off a national campaign to engage college students in a conversation about renewable fuels.

For two hours on March 2, representatives of the Kansas Corn Commission and the Renewable Fuels Association gave free ethanol-blended fuel fill-ups to KSU students. The Manhattan Coop has both E10 for all gas-powered vehicles and E85 fuel for flexible fuel vehicles that can operate on fuel up to 85 percent ethanol. Students also got a free lunch and were offered t-shirts or fuel cards for recording video clips about renewable resources.

The Coop, located just east of Manhattan off of Highway 24, was a good location for the large turnout, according to Kansas Corn Commission Chairman Mike Brzon of Courtland.

“We had a steady line of traffic that was up to a half mile long at times,” Brzon said. “This gave us the opportunity to talk to hundreds of college students and get them get them to think about renewable fuels like ethanol. I believe we accomplished a lot at this event, and it is just the beginning of a much larger effort.”

The event’s organizers used on campus advertising as well as internet sites to spread the word. Organizers talked to students on campus, advertised in the student newspaper and used Facebook and the e85challenge.com website to let students know about the event.

“That’s what this Flex Fuel Challenge is all about,” according to Robert White of RFA. “It’s about utilizing viral marketing, going through websites like Facebook. We actually created e85challenge.com to mirror those so you can add friends, you can have discussions and post pictures and do videos so that others can work within that medium to promote renewable energy.”

About 40 video clips were shot at the event as students took turns answering the question “What Does Renewable Mean to You?” The videos will be posted on the e85challenge.com website. The Manhattan event kicked off a larger on-line effort to spread the word about renewables and to encourage others to submit videos on renewables. The Flex Fuel Challenge is looking for creative ideas on renewables and encourages participants to spread the word to get votes for their video submission. The entry with the most votes will win a MacBook Air laptop computer.

In addition to the Kansas Corn Commission, sponsors of the Flex Fuel Challenge include the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and the Kentucky Corn Growers Association. For more information, visit the e85challenge.com website or the Kansas Corn Commission website at www.ksgrains.com.

The Kansas Corn Commission is a grower board that invests the half-cent per bushel corn checkoff in the areas of market development, research, promotion and education to increase the profitability of Kansas corn.

2-23-09--Kansas Growers Support UL Decision for Higher Ethanol Blend

February 23, 2009--Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced on February 19 that it would support permitting existing gasoline dispensers to use up to 15 percent ethanol with no modifications. Dispensers certified under UL 87 were intended for gasoline with up to 10 percent ethanol, but UL said its data supported the use of higher ethanol blends up to 15 percent.

Kansas Corn Growers Association leaders said this determination could open the door for higher blends of ethanol. “With 10 percent ethanol blends becoming so commonplace, the ethanol industry is nearing what is called a “blend wall” with the limitation of 10 percent ethanol in gasoline for non-flex fuel vehicles,” KCGA Executive Director Jere White said. “This UL decision will play an important role in allowing a higher percentage of ethanol fuel for use in vehicles.”

The U.S. already has the capacity to displace seven percent of the nation’s gasoline use. In Kansas, ethanol currently displaces over six percent of the state’s gasoline at the pump. EPA regulations limit ethanol to 10 percent in non-flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). While there are about seven million flexible fuel vehicles that can use up to 85 percent ethanol, the vast majority of automobiles are limited to 10 percent ethanol at this time.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has said that his agency is in discussions with EPA to increase the amount of grain-based ethanol blended into gasoline. Vilsack recently told the financial news service Bloomberg, “I do think it’s important for us to look for strategies to make sure the infrastructure of the ethanol industry is preserved, because it is a key component to this new energy future the president’s laid out,” Vilsack said.

Without the UL approval for fuel dispensers, infrastructure costs would have made any EPA decision to increase ethanol blends more difficult to implement.

“EPA may end up approving a higher ethanol percentage, but without allowing existing pumps to dispense those higher blends, implementing the higher percentage would be much more expensive and cumbersome. Thanks to the UL decision, if a higher blend is allowed by EPA, stations can increase the percentage of ethanol in their fuel within the guidelines without making expensive infrastructure changes,” White said.

According to the UL news release, “UL stresses that existing fuel dispensers certified under UL 87 were for intended use with ethanol blends up to E10, which is the current legal limit for non-flex fuel vehicles in the United States under the federal Clean Air Act. However, data the company has gathered as part of the organization’s ongoing research to investigate the impact of using higher ethanol blends in fuel dispensing systems supports that existing dispensers can be used with ethanol blends up to 15%.”

Visit ksgrains.com for more information about Kansas corn and Kansas ethanol.

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1-30-09--Ethanol Blender Pump Locations Grow In Kansas
An ethanol blender pump opening in Topeka this week showcased efforts to expand the availability of mid-grade ethanol fuels to Kansas drivers. The grand opening of the new ethanol blender pumps at the Conoco at 1531 SW Wanamaker Rd., Topeka was held on Jan. 28. The Topeka station is the eighth Kansas station to offer mid-grade ethanol fuel blends. The Kansas Corn Commission is leading an effort to add 100 ethanol blender pumps in the state. The corn commission is working with Growth Energy to offer technical and promotional support and financial incentives to help stations offset the costs of adding ethanol blender pumps.

“Kansas is one of the first states to allow blender pumps, giving motorists more choices for renewable fuels. Forward-thinking action by the Kansas Department of Agriculture established guidelines to allow the use of blender pumps in our state,” according to Jere White, Kansas Corn Commission executive director. “Corn producers see the value in expanding markets for ethanol within our state.”

Kansas now has eight fuel stations that offer mid-grade ethanol fuels at blender pumps located in Topeka, Coffeyville, Hutchinson, Garden City, Lawrence, Ottawa, Dodge City and Colwich.

Blender pumps can offer several blends of ethanol. The most common blends are E20, E30, E40 and E85. The “E” in the designation indicates that the fuel contains ethanol—and the number associated with it is the percentage of ethanol in that blend. For example, E20 is 20% ethanol, 80% gasoline. Any gas-powered engine can use E10, a 10 percent ethanol fuel blend. In the past year, a large percentage of gasoline sold in Kansas contained 10 percent ethanol. Fuels with more than 10 percent ethanol should be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). State guidelines require blender pumps to be clearly labeled to make sure the buyer understands that ethanol blends above 10 percent ethanol are intended only for use in flexible fuel vehicles.

Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky participated in the Topeka blender pump event and announced that his department had finalized the state’s blender pump guidelines after a year-long pilot project. "Information we collected during the pilot project confirms that blending pumps can consistently and accurately dispense a range of ethanol blends from a single pump," Polansky said. "This is a real boon for owners of flexible fuel vehicles who want more choice."

The Topeka grand opening event also celebrated the creation of a new joint venture between fuel distributor Crescent Oil Company, ethanol plant design and builder ICM, Inc. and ethanol company Poet to provide a delivery system for mid-grade ethanol fuels. Crescent Oil, which is involved in the Topeka and Coffeyville stations, plans to add ethanol blender pumps at several more locations in Kansas and throughout the Midwest.

Ethanol blender pumps are located at the following Kansas locations:

Topeka: Conoco, 1531 SW Wanamaker
Coffeyville: Jump Start, 512 NW St.
Hutchinson: Hutchinson Coop Cenex, 1200 W. 4th Ave.
Garden City: U Pump It, 156 N. Campus Dr.
Lawrence: Zarco 66, 9th & Iowa St.
Ottawa: Zarco 66, 2518 East Logan St. (I-35 and Hwy 68)
Dodge City: Dodge City Coop, 800 W. Trail St.
Colwich: TJ’s Convenience Store, 104 W. Chicago Ave.

For more information on Kansas ethanol and a complete list of fuel stations that offer blender pumps as well as stations that have E85 pumps, visit the ethanol page at www.ksgrains.com.
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12-30-08--Kansas Corn Producers Post High Marks in Yield Contest
While Kansas growers did not receive national honors in the National Corn Yield Contest sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, the state winners posted high yields in all categories.

The combined average yield of the Kansas winners was 261 bushels per acre, compared to the estimated state average yield of 137 bushels per acre. The highest irrigated yield from Kansas belonged to Faye Cyr of Clyde who had a yield of 296.7 bushels per acre in the Ridge Till Irrigated division. The highest non-irrigated yield was from Richard Sudbeck of Seneca who had a yield of 285.8 bushels per acre in the non-irrigated division.

The national and state contest winners will be honored at the 2009 Commodity Classic to be held at Grapevine, Texas February 26-28. The Kansas winners of the National Corn Yield Contest are listed below.

Non-Irrigated
1. Richard Sudbeck of Seneca planted DEKALB DKC63-42 for a yield of 285.8 bushels per acre.
2. Carl Reiff of Netawaka planted DEKALB DKC63-42 for a yield of 241.6 bushels per acre.
3. Art & Todd Meier of Topeka planted Pioneer 33T57 for a yield of 239.3 bushels per acre.

No Till/Strip Till Non-Irrigated
1. Douglas P. Johnson of Bendena planted Garst 82H80GT/CB/LL for 258.1 bushels per acre.
2. Don Garlow of Concordia planted Pioneer 34R67 for a yield of 251.3 bushels per acre.
3. Devon Benfer Concordia planted Pioneer 31N30 for a yield of 247.5 bushels per acre.

No Till/Strip Till Irrigated
1. Todd Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B29 for a yield of 293.4 bushels per acre.
2. Shawn Taddiken of Clifton planted Pioneer 32B29 for a yield of 262.6 bushels per acre.
3. Cedric Hands of Garden City planted Pioneer 33Y74 for a yield of 259.7 bushels per acre.

Ridge Till Non-Irrigated
1. Jimmy Elder of Linwood planted Pioneer 33K44 for a yield of 206.6 bushels per acre.
2. LeRoy Elder of Linwood planted Pioneer 33D47 for a yield of 194.9 bushels per acre.

Ridge Till Irrigated
1. Faye Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B29 for a yield of 296.7 bushels per acre.
2. Harold Lambert of Clyde planted Golden Harvest H-9190HX/LL for a yield of 274.6 bushels per acre.
3. Ron Jacobson of Concordia planted Pioneer 32B29 for a yield of 271.6 bushels per acre.

Irrigated
1. Gail Cyr of Clyde planted Pioneer 32B29 for a yield of 291.6 bushels per acre.
2. Merl Rexford of Meade planted Pioneer 33D47 for a yield of 280.2 bushels per acre.
3. Richard Unruh of Copeland planted Pioneer 33Y76 for a yield of 273.5 bushels per acre.

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12-10-08--Kansas Corn Producers Are Meeting Needs of Customers
Corn producers are meeting the needs of their customers and doing it in a more sustainable manner, according to Kansas Corn Commissioner Ken McCauley of White Cloud. McCauley, who is past president of National Corn Growers Association, spoke at the Kansas Corn Producers Dinner held in conjunction with the Kansas Commodity Classic in early December.

McCauley’s presentation focused not only on the growing demand for corn spurred by the biofuels industry, but also the ability of growers to meet the demand on existing acres.

“Today, we are using all available technology to significantly increase corn production, and there is more technology in the pipeline that will boost yields even more,” McCauley said. “We can find new markets for corn and still meet all traditional needs and at the same time, we can be responsible stewards of our natural resources.”

McCauley said the notion that using corn to make ethanol is the main reason for rising food prices had been disproved by several credible sources. He pointed to studies from USDA, Texas A&M, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. A copy of McCauley’s presentation is available on the Kansas Corn Growers Association website at www.ksgrains.com.

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12-10-08--Kansas Corn Growers Association Holds Annual Meeting
The Kansas Corn Growers Association held its annual meeting on December 8. Association members heard association reports, reviewed the association’s resolutions and elected board members. Harvey Heier of Grainfield was elected to represent the west central district; Armin Nelson of McPherson was elected to represent the central district, and Roger Pine of Lawrence was elected to represent the east central district.

The KCGA board held its officer elections after the annual meeting. Brian Baalman of Menlo was reelected president; Armin Nelson was elected vice president; Bob Timmons, Fredonia was reelected secretary, and Charles Foltz, Garnett was reelected treasurer.

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11-20-08--Kansas Commodity Classic Is Tuesday, December 9 at Salina!
As Kansas farmers look ahead to 2009, a number of key questions are looming: can commodity prices rebound to near-historic highs of 2008? Will input prices stabilize?

Answers to these questions may be found at the annual Kansas Commodity Classic, slated for Dec. 9 at the Holiday Inn, Salina. The Commodity Classic is an annual joint convention of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Corn Growers Association and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.
The day’s educational sessions begin at 9 a.m., when Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky leads off with a recap of 2008 and 2009 outlook. The general session continues with a keynote presentation focusing on the “Strength of the Agricultural Economy,” followed by an Ag Production Issues panel discussion on the relationship between agricultural credit, grain marketing and crop inputs. The morning session concludes with a post-election update on federal government issues.

Following a complimentary luncheon, a series of breakout sessions will allow farmers to gain valuable insight into the 2009 crop year. Sessions include:
--Fertilizer Supply, Demand and Costs;
--Alternative Land Lease Agreements
--End of Year Tax Planning for Farmers
--Rural Development Opportunities
--Marketing Strategies
 
An ice cream break featuring Call Hall Ice Cream from Kansas State University - a Kansas Commodity Classic tradition – separates the first and second breakout sessions. The Commodity Classic is free to farmers, but pre-registration is encouraged, by calling the Kansas Wheat office at 866-759-4328

Follow this link for an agenda of Classic events
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ANNUAL CORN PRODUCERS DINNER
6 p.m. Monday, December 8
Salina Holiday Inn
Sponsored by the Kansas Corn Commission
All corn producers are invited
Please RSVP at 800-489-2676

KCGA Annual Meeting will follow at 8 p.m.

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8-20-08Former Kansas Corn Commissioner Carolyn Dunn Will Speak at Republican National Convention
Carolyn Dunn of St. John will give a three minute speech on rural development and agriculture at the Republican National Convention. Dunn, who completed her term earlier this year as Kansas Corn Commissioner representing the southcentral Kansas district, will speak on Tuesday, September 2 in the 7 p.m. hour, according to media reports.

Follow the link below to read a Hutchinson News article about Carolyn's convention appearance.

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Kansas Corn Growers Association
110 West 4th Ave., Garnett, KS 66032
Phone: 800-489-2676              E-mail: corn@ksgrains.com